Offset catheter securement device

Abstract

A catheter securement device adapted to be adhesively mounted to the skin of a patient to secure a catheter in place, the device having a flexible, thin, sheet-like base member with a distal edge and a midportion, and a releasable, flexible, thin, sheet-like retention member comprising a fixed end, a releasable end, a and a distal edge, wherein the distal edge of the retention member is offset from the distal edge of the base member to define an uplift focus area in the midportion of the base member, such that upward pull on the catheter is transferred to the midportion of the base member to preclude the base member from being peeled from the patient's skin.

We claim: 
     
       1. A catheter securement device adapted to be adhesively mounted to the skin of a patient to secure a catheter comprising a distal tube member, said device comprising:
 a flexible, thin, sheet-like base member comprising a proximal edge, a distal edge and a midportion; 
 a releasable, flexible, thin, sheet-like retention member comprising a fixed end, a releasable end, a proximal edge and a distal edge, said fixed end attached to said base member and said releasable end releasably attached to said base member; 
 wherein said distal edge of said retention member is offset along a horizontal plane from said distal edge of said base member and wherein said distal edge of said retention member is located substantially midway between said proximal edge of said base member and said distal edge of said base member when said retention member is attached to said base member such that an uplift focus area is located in said midportion resulting in a tenting effect of said base member when an upward force is applied to said distal tube member. 
 
     
     
       2. The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a transverse midline, wherein said distal edge of said retention member is offset from said distal edge of said base member at said transverse midline. 
     
     
       3. The device of  claim 2 , wherein said transverse midline is laterally centered on said base member. 
     
     
       4. The device of  claim 3 , wherein said uplift focus area is located in the middle 50% of said base member. 
     
     
       5. The device of  claim 2 , wherein said distal edge of said retention member defines said uplift focus area located in said midportion of said base member along said transverse midline of said base member. 
     
     
       6. The device of  claim 1 , wherein said distal edge of said retention member is curved. 
     
     
       7. The device of  claim 1 , wherein said retention member is smaller than said base member. 
     
     
       8. The device of  claim 1 , wherein said base member and said retention member are dog-bone shaped. 
     
     
       9. A catheter securement device adapted to be adhesively mounted to the skin of a patient to secure a catheter comprising a distal tube member, said device comprising:
 a flexible, thin, sheet-like base member in a dog bone configuration comprising a proximal edge, a distal edge and a midportion, where said proximal edge and said distal edge are substantially concave; 
 a releasable, flexible, thin, sheet-like retention member in a dog bone configuration comprising a fixed end, a releasable end, a proximal edge and a distal edge where said proximal edge and said distal edge are substantially concave, said fixed and attached to said base member and said releasable end releasably attached to said base member; 
 wherein said distal edge of said retention member is offset from said distal edge of said base member along the entire length of said distal edge of said base member, and said proximal edge of said base member is flush with said proximal edge of said retention member such that said distal edge of said retention member defines an uplift focus area located in the middle 50% of said midportion of said base member resulting in a tenting effect of said base member when an upward force is applied to said distal tube member. 
 
     
     
       10. The device of  claim 9 , further comprising a transverse midline, wherein said distal edge of said retention member is offset from said distal edge of said base member at said transverse midline. 
     
     
       11. The device of  claim 10 , wherein said transverse midline is laterally centered on said base member along a horizontal axis extending through a transverse midline of the base member. 
     
     
       12. The device of  claim 9 , wherein said retention member is smaller than said base member. 
     
     
       13. A combination of a catheter securement device adapted to be adhesively mounted to the skin of a patient and a catheter comprising a distal tube member, said combination comprising:
 a flexible, thin, sheet-like base member comprising a proximal edge, a distal edge and a midportion; 
 a releasable, flexible, thin, sheet-like retention member comprising a fixed end, a releasable end, a proximal edge and a distal edge, said fixed end attached to said base member and said releasable end releasably attached to said base member, wherein said retention member is releasably securable across said catheter when said catheter is disposed on said, base member such that a portion of said distal edge of said retention member extends across said distal tube member, said portion of said distal edge of said retention member being laterally offset from said distal edge of said base member; 
 wherein said portion of said distal edge of said retention member extending across said distal tube member is offset from said distal edge of said base member, whereby said distal tube member is restrained by said portion of said distal edge of said retention member when upward force is applied to said distal tube member such that an uplift focus area is defined by said portion of said distal end of retention member, said uplift focus area being located in said midportion of said base member such that said base member tents up to disperse said upward force across and within the entire base member. 
 
     
     
       14. The combination of  claim 13 , wherein said distal edge of said retention member is curved. 
     
     
       15. The combination of  claim 13 , herein said retention member is smaller than said base member. 
     
     
       16. The combination of  claim 15 , wherein said base member and said retention member are dog-bone shaped. 
     
     
       17. The combination of  claim 13 , wherein the location of said catheter on said base member defines a transverse midline, and wherein said uplift focus area is located on said transverse midline. 
     
     
       18. The combination of  claim 13 , wherein said uplift focus area is located in the middle 50% of said base member.